Leaders discussed their prospective contacts with Donald Trump’s new US administration during a wide-ranging video call, Kremlin says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on ways to strengthen bilateral ties a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
The two leaders discussed their prospective contacts with Trump’s administration during a wide-ranging video call that lasted more than one and a half hours, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Russian media reported that the two leaders spoke about boosting trade flows. China is the largest consumer of Russian energy and the single biggest oil export market for Russia.
Xi and Putin “have indicated a willingness to build relations with the United States on a mutually beneficial, mutually respectful basis, if the Trump team really shows interest in this”, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow.
“It was also noted from our side that we are ready for dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict.”
For his part, Trump has said he is willing to accommodate Russia’s view that Ukraine’s right to self-determination could be put aside in favour of peace and stability.
Ushakov said Putin wanted long-term peace in Ukraine, not a short-term ceasefire. No specific proposals for a call with Trump have been received, he said.
On Taiwan, Ushakov said Russia had “confirmed its unwavering position of support for the one China principle”.
China regards democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory. In a New Year’s speech, President Xi said that no one could stop China’s “reunification” with Taiwan. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims.
Ushakov said the Putin-Xi video call had been planned before Trump’s inauguration.
No-limits partnership
China and Russia declared a “no-limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has, in recent months, described China as an “ally”.
Trump has said he will be tough on China and speak to Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. In remarks to reporters after his inauguration, Trump said Putin should make a deal to end the war because the conflict was destroying Russia.
Xi has called for talks to end the war in Ukraine and has accused the US of stoking the war with weapons sales to Kyiv, which has said it is ready to seek a negotiated solution that respects its interests.
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